Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya visited UN Headquarters

On January 19–20, 2016 Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya visited UN Headquarters in order to take part in open debate of the UN Security Council on protection of civilians in armed conflict.

During the visit Deputy Minister met with Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Spain and Uruguay, with whom he discussed the issue of cooperation between Ukrainian, Spanish and Uruguayan delegations in the Security Council.

In his statement at the open debate, Mr. Kyslytsya drew attention to the importance for the international community of the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, given the complicated security situation in Syria, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and other conflict zones.

He also mentioned that protection of civilians has to be the key task of the UN peacekeeping operations. Deputy Minister has also drawn attention of the members of the UN Security Council to the situation in Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian aggression, which has resulted in a huge amount of victims among civilians. Deputy Minister also informed about the issues of internally displaced persons and lack of access of the international humanitarian organizations to the territories under control of pro-Russian terrorists. Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya thanked UN High Commissioner for Refugees for helping civilian population in the east of Ukraine.

During his visit to New York, Mr. Kyslytsya also met with the Permanent Representative of the PRC to the UN Liu Jieyi.